The Diary of Jack Thayer
by Clydell Humphries
Summary: For a school project. My version of what Jack Thayer witnessed the night the Titanic sank, and more. Based on true events.


**Firstly, I did this for school. We had a Titanic assignment and we had to write a diary for a survivor on the ship. So I chose Jack Thayer. He was an eye witness to a lot of key events, and there was a TONNE of info on him. So that's why I chose him :)**

**Also, this isn't that great. I attempted to write it in old-speak, but reading back over it I realized that it's barely different to what I'd say usually :/ My teacher also wanted 1000 words max, but I went over 2200... I could have written more, too. Regardless, I hope you like it.

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April 10th, 1912, 9:00am

Well, this is the day, the day I've anxiously awaited for months now. The day that my family and myself travel to America.

Of course, this move isn't permanent. Once we've seen the sights and wonders that New York has to offer us then we'll be packing out bags once more and on our way home. The journey back won't be as nearly luxurious as the journey I am about to embark on now. For I, Jack Thayer, am about to go aboard the one and only Titanic, the biggest ship on the face of the Earth.

I will admit that the tickets my parents bought me as an early 18th birthday present came as I surprise to me; though I'd heard much about the vessel the thought of embarking on its first journey never occurred to me. It is truly an honour, that's why I've decided to open you once again, journal. How long has it been since I last wrote in you? Roughly three months I think, just when I received the ticket

Alas, I must go now. They are letting the first class passengers aboard now, and mother is beginning to get impatient.

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April 10th, 1912, 12:30

Tis just past noon, and the majestic ship I have the pleasure of standing on has set sail at last. I am feeling a little queasy I'll admit, but I don't think sea sickness has anything to do with it. I will explain a little later; first I must voice my opinion on the ship.

After boarding the ship, my parents and myself were shown to our rooms. I was astounded at just how lavish it is, the amount of detail put into each one is phenomenal! For a few seconds I almost believed I was back in my very own bedroom. Everything is exactly to my liking, I even tested out the mattress on my bed, just to make sure. I was pleased when I got positive results.

While my parents got settled in the rooms, I decided to take the opportunity to explore the ship. I think that even if I were given a whole day, I still wouldn't have enough time to see everything. I found myself lost a few times, but eventually I found myself on A deck. There, I admired the Palm Court and the furniture inside. Truly exquisite… it would be hard to find something to match it at home.

After that I headed down to some of the lower decks. I passed a few people on my way, most of which were third class passengers; however there were some that were up to my standards as well. All of the men in both first and second class wear suits, which I will admit is rather disappointing. I rather hoped that there would be a few that wore something a little more comfy, that way father might allow me to join them by changing into something different. As much as I love being rich, I absolutely detest suits. But I suppose I'm stuck wearing one for the whole journey now.

But enough of my babbling. While at the lower decks I found the squash court. Fancy that, on a ship, no less! What people come up with will never cease to amaze me. There was a swimming pool as well, along with beautiful Turkish baths.

As I made my way back up to my room, the daylight shone on me in a somewhat inviting way. Almost as if it wanted to tell me 'have a nice trip'.

I hope you haven't forgotten that this was all before the ship had even set sail! As soon as the sun was in the middle of the sky, I made my way to the railings and watched into wonder as the sea below us began to make a path for the now-moving ship. And that's when I received the shock of my life.

I watched in terror as another ship, the _New Yorker_, almost collided with the _Titanic._ Her stern couldn't have been farther than a yard or two away from our side. It almost hit us! If it wasn't for the quick thinking and actions on Captain Smith's behalf… I'd hate to think of it. The beautiful, new ship, in ruins before she even got out to sea.

Although were escaped unscathed from the event, I won't deny that it worries me. Does this mean that the ship is too big to handle?

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14th of April, 1912, 5:30

My poor journal… it seems that I have neglected you yet again. Thankfully for you, though, this time it was only for a mere three days as opposed to three months.

I guess there isn't much to tell. Of course, for somebody who knew nothing of the majestic ship there would be quite a lot to say, however I have grown used to the ship and its features by now. The food is magnificent; we dine like royals every night. I go to bed with a full stomach, feeling quite content. The musicians who play are very talented; they even play while we're eating our dinner. Though I don't really tend to listen during that time, it does give a nice feel to the room. Everything the ship has to offer is of the highest quality.

I will admit that today I didn't do much. I mainly walked outside on the glorious decks with my parents, getting some fresh air. It is ever so peaceful; the ship glides gracefully across the ocean. Sometimes I am dubious as to whether we're actually moving or not, but one look over the side washes away any doubts I have. We _are_ moving; and at a rather fast pace at that.

Though I have grown used to some of the ship's features, there is still a lot that astounds me. I found out earlier on just how much we're carrying. Here are some of the amounts, merely to enlighten my future self:

.100,000 pounds of meat

. 40 tonnes of potatoes

.12,000 forks in four different varieties

.32,500 towels

.1,500 bottles of wine

And, just to add a little humour to the situation, 2,000 salt shakers.

The thought that the ship can carry this much alone truly amazes me. And on top of that, there's the rest of the supplies, the furniture and of course, the passengers. Can one ship alone really carry this much, or is my imagination running amok?

I must leave now, for I have to get ready for dinner. Mother and father have been invited to a special dinner with Captain Smith, so it looks as if I'll be dining by myself tonight. I wonder what people will think, a seventeen year old boy such as myself eating alone. Part of me wants to be left in peace, while the other wishes to have some company this fine evening.

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April 14th, 1912, 11:10pm

Well, while dinner was a rather uneventful, the events that followed were quite nice. After I'd eaten to my heart's content, I decided to enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee. As I sat, I noticed that there was somebody else in the room, another man. I could tell that he was older than me, but by no means was he over the age of twenty five. He kept on glancing over at me, and eventually he made his way to my side.

"Are you on your own?" was his first question. I merely smiled; the way he had said it made me feel that, rather than giving me a lecture about wandering off, he was genuinely interested.

"At this current point time, yes." I admitted, "Although I am aboard this ship with my mother and father." He nodded understandably.

"My name is Milton, Milton Long." He said, extending his hand out to me. I shook it, having a good feeling about this man. While one the _Titanic_ I hadn't once found somebody whom I'd formed a friendship with.

He sat down by the chair next to me and talked about the Titanic, comparing it to all the other ships he'd been on. I did the same, and we both came to the conclusion that it far outshone them all. We spoke for around an hour about our separate travels, the places we'd had the pleasure of seeing.

As the night drew on, I found myself become more and more tired. However, I didn't want to abandon my conversation with this man. It was Milton who made me leave.

"You're in need of sleep, my friend." He told me, "Insufficient rest isn't good for anybody, especially somebody of your age. You wouldn't want to get sick while aboard this grand ship now, would you?" I excused myself and made my way back to my room.

Outside, it had become much colder. It was a brilliant starry night, each one shining like a diamond since there was no moon to compare them to. It was the type of night that made me feel happy to be alive.

I reached my room and got changed into my night clothes. I crawled into my bed, feeling quite snug, before realizing that I had yet to write about my encounter with Milton in you, journal. Now that I have, I feel somewhat accomplished, as well as weary. Time to get some much needed rest.

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…I'm not really sure when to date this next entry.

Do I date it to now, the date I'm actually writing from? Or to the night all these events took place? It does not matter, after all the facts will remain the same, no matter what way I look at them.

At roughly 11:40pm, on the 14th of April, I was just starting to drift off to sleep, however I felt myself sway ever so slightly. I sat up in my bed, unsure what to think of the sudden movement, when the engines stopped. All was silent.

This startled me a great deal. Throughout the journey, I'd grown accustomed to the constant sounds of the engines running, so having them shut off was quite surprising. I stood up, hearing running footsteps and hurried voices in the hallway.

Curious as to just what was going on, I put on my overcoat and slippers and stepped out into the night after telling my mother and father that I would be back soon.

One of the first aspects I noticed was the third class passengers. Many of them were kicking pieces of ice that had fallen on to the deck, playing a variety of different sports games.

I suddenly spotted Milton among the small crowd, also curious as to what had caused the engines to stop. We discussed the matter together for a little while, but seized when we noticed members of the ship's crew rounding people up, telling them to put on their life jackets.

And that's when we realized. Though none of the crew said anything, and the musicians continued to play, Milton and I knew exactly what was going on.

The majestic vessel we were aboard was sinking.

I looked through the huge crowd, trying to spot either my mother or father, however neither of them seemed to be visible. Myself and Milton stayed out of the crowd's way as they rushed to the lifeboats. We didn't bother approaching them ; there would have been no use. We could see clearly that they were only allowing women and children first, and even then many missed out. I saw most of the lifeboats go away only half full, which to me seemed preposterous. There were twenty life boats on the _Titanic_, if all of them went away full then so many more lives could have been saved… yet they weren't.

Many (including Milton and myself) were still aboard the _Titanic_ when it began to steep on an angle and go down at a much faster rate. We felt the muffled thuds and explosions below us, further proof that this marked the ship's end. Fearing it was the end for us aswell, we both wished each other good luck before jumping into the freezing water below.

I hit the water and instantly began spinning out of control. The shock took the breath from my lungs, and I had to stop myself many times from breathing in the sea water. When I finally resurfaced, the ship was about forty feet away from me. I looked around in panic, hoping to see Milton somewhere nearby, however I never did.

He was gone.

As I gasped for air, my hand came in contact with another item. To my immense luck, it was an overturned lifeboat. I grabbed hold with my other hand, barely able to find the strength needed to pull myself up. I somehow did, and I noticed I wasn't the only one there. There was another man, also struggling to climb aboard. I helped him up, and he thanked me.

We both watched in awe as the ship sank silently below. Gone, just like Milton was.

What happened after that… I'm really not all that certain anymore. My memory doesn't seem to want to replay anymore of that fateful night for me, which I suppose is alright. After all, I have all the information I really need. The finer details don't really matter.

The main thing I remember after the ship was fully submerged was having to wait in the chilly atmosphere for a long time. I went in and out of dazes, unable to think straight. I didn't know of the time that past, not if I was ever going to be rescued. Regardless, I eventually saw the outline of the _Carpathia_ coming through the water. And thus, we were saved.

As I climbed aboard the ship, I was instantly pulled into a tight embrace by none other than my mother. Just for those few fleeting moments, I thought that everything was alright. But then I remembered Milton, as well as the 1500 other people that lost their lives.

My father was one of them.

And so it concludes. I have to go into court tomorrow to testify about what happened on the 14th of April. I can only hope that this ordeal will help future generations ensure that ships are safe, long before they set sail.

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**Like I said, it's not that great. Hope you enjoyed it, or at least got some form of information from it :) NO STEALING PLEASE! (Not that anybody would want to)**


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